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The Grand Lodge of Freemasons
|- |align="center" style="background-color:white;" colspan="2"| Lodge Motto: '' Liberty-Equality-Solidarity '' |- |align="center" style="background-color:darkorange;" colspan="2"|'Factbook' |- |style="background:orange;"|'Team Color' |Orange |- |style="background:orange;"|'Founded on' |December 8, 2007 |- |style="background:orange;"|'Founded by' |Genghis |- |style="background:orange;"|'In-Game Stats' |http://www.cybernations.net/stats_al...%20Freemasons |- |style="background:orange;"|'Total Nations' |136 |- |style="background:orange;"|'Active Nations' |78 |- |style="background:orange;"|'Percent Active' |56% |- |style="background:orange;"|'Alliance Strength' |3,482,443 |- |style="background:orange;"|'Avg. Strength' |25,054 |- |style="background:orange;"|'Total Nukes' |617 |- |style="background:orange;"|'Score' |13.41 |- |align="center" style="background-color:darkorange;" colspan="2"|'Grand Council' |- |style="background:orange;"|'Grand Master' | * Alaric of Danubia |- |style="background:orange;"|'Grand Chancellor' | * monkeybum of Monkeybum |- |style="background:orange;"|'Grand Superintendent' | * Kuhnini of Santo and Banks |- |style="background:orange;"|'Grand Knight' | * Walking_Dead of Camp Couch |- |style="background:orange;"|'Grand Treasurer' | * Alexg314 of Alamor |- |align="center" style="background-color:darkorange;" colspan="2"|'Lodge Officers' |- |style="background:orange;"|'Almoner' | * Duke of Cool of Ribellion |- |style="background:orange;"|'Historian' | * Voobaha of Voobaha |- |style="background:orange;"|'Architect' | * Obscurus of Blaudrovia |- |style="background:orange;"|'Registrar' | * Solaman of Solantia |- |style="background:orange;"|'Marshal' | * Dimus of Dimus |- |align="center" style="background-color:darkorange;" colspan="2"|'International Relations ' |- |align="center" style="background:orange;"|'Mutual Aggression and Defence Pact (MADP)' | * - NV * - 1TF * - RoA |- |align="center" style="background:orange;"|'Mutual Defence Pact (MDP)' | * - UCN * - Bushido |- |align="center" style="background:orange;"|'Optional Defence Pact (ODP)' | * - IRON * - RnR * - OPA * - TOP * - TORN |- |align="center" style="background:orange;"|'Peace, Intelligence and Aid Treaty (PIAT)' | * - TTK |- |align="center" style="background:orange;"|'Treaty Bloc' | * Orange Unity Treaty * The AZTEC Treaty |- |align="center" style="background-color:darkorange;" colspan="2"|'Other Information' |- |style="background:orange;"|'Important Links' | * GLOF Forums * GLOF Statistics * GLOF Member List * GLOF Nation Map * GLOF Offical IRC chatroom |} The Ongoing History of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons: The Grand Lodge of Freemasons is the penultimate alliance of principle in the Cyberverse; created on November 11th and opening its doors on December 8th, 2007, this community was founded by one individual (Genghis) and then grew, without the aid of any formal protectorate agreement, into one of the fastest growing but sharpest looking alliances today. Espousing truth, sincerity and genuine fellowship, the Lodge has been fortunate to attract many entertaining and respected personalities who share the similar goal of staying true to themselves, each other, and having a good time. ''The Masonic Code'' :http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/cybernations/images/archive/b/b6/20080814141637!GLOFDiplomat.png :I violate no secret when I say that one of the greatest values in Masonry is that it affords an opportunity for men of all walks of life to meet on common ground where all men are equal and have one common interest. ::Theodore Roosevelt, Freemason. Preamble On this day, the nineteenth of January in the Year of Our Lord two-thousand and nine, We, as free individuals, have convened in mutual harmony to secure and preserve our inherent liberty through principle; with the signing of this document, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall be forged. United as a community within which each of us shall stand as a sacred order of brothers and sisters, We shall reflect a beacon of light into a hostile desert of barren intentions and hollow words. Through the sincere emulation of genuine fellowship, We have established a method with which We shall illustrate our initiative through equal representation and responsible governance; this, our Masonic Code. Article I. The Overview :Freemasonry must stand upon the religious, political, social, and economic Rock of Truth. Nothing is so worthy of its care as freedom in all its aspects. "Free" is the most vital part of Freemasonry. It means freedom of thought and expression, freedom of spiritual and religious ideals, freedom from oppression, freedom from ignorance, superstition, vice and bigotry, freedom to acquire and possess property, to go and come at pleasure, and to rise or fall according to will of ability. ::H.W.Coil, Freemason. Section 1. The Association: 1.1.1. Let it be known that every individual who is affiliated with the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, regardless of Degree, shall be considered to be a Freemason. Section 2. The Code of Conduct: 1.2.1. Freemasonry is an exceptional endeavor; as such, Freemasons are exceptional individuals. The Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall expect reasonably civilized behavior from every individual who seeks to obtain or retain affiliation; as rational human beings, Freemasons understand that our actions have consequences and any Freemason guilty of conduct unbecoming of a Lodge member may be subject to disciplinary action, demotion and/or dismissal. Article II. The Membership :Freemasonry is an ancient and respectable institution, embracing individuals of every nation, of every religion, and of every condition in life. Wealth, power and talents are not necessary to the person of a Freemason. An unblemished character and a virtuous conduct are the only qualifications for admission into the Order. ::Laurie, Freemason. Section 1. An application to the Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall be subject to the following conditions: 2.1.1. An applicant, as a free individual, must visit our Grand Lodge at "http://www.square-n-compass.net/] and submit a request to receive the Degree of Entered Apprentice. 2.1.2. He or she shall apply his or her mark to the letter of this Masonic Oath: :I, _________, of my own free will and accord, do hereby and hereon most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will hail, ever conceal, and never reveal any of the secrets, arts, parts, point or points of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons to any party or person; with the legitimate exception that it be to a true and lawful brother or sister of our degree. I shall acknowledge and obey all due signs and summons sent to me from the Lodge Council; in service to my brethren I shall bring service to myself. '' :''I shall hold the Grand Secret inviolable; never illicitly committing an action that risks material or conscientious harm to my Grand Lodge. I shall communicate the Grand Masonic Word only in the specific manner or form in that which I shall receive it. I shall protect the parts of the Grand Masonic Word if ever they are directed to and received by me as such; with the exception of murder and treason. :I shall never recognize the authority of a foreign power other than my Creator over myself or my Lodge no matter which form that it may be disguised in. I shall never sit in a Lodge of Clandestine-made Masonry or converse on the subject of Masonry with a Clandestine-made Mason. '' :''Forever protecting the Grand Hailing Sign of Distress, I shall never violate this obligation and will henceforth honor my Brothers, Sisters, and the Masonic Code. 2.1.3. If an applicant is afforded and accepts the opportunity to receive the Degree of Entered Apprentice, he or she shall be immediately bound to the letter of this Masonic Code and be obligated to answer the Grand Hailing Sign of Distress. Section 2. The Degree of Entered Apprentice shall be subject to the following conditions: 2.2.1. The phrase Entered Apprentice is reserved for any applicant who has been accepted into the Grand Lodge of Freemasons and has formally received the Degree of Entered Apprentice; an Entered Apprentice shall receive enhanced Lodge privileges, may experience a probationary period, the opportunity to contribute, and the resources he or she requires to fulfill the obligations necessary to display such initiative as required to graduate from the Degree of Entered Apprentice. Every Entered Apprentice who graduates from this Degree of Entered Apprentice shall be given the opportunity to accept or decline the Degree of Fellow Craft. Section 3. The Degree of Fellow Craft shall be subject to the following conditions: 2.3.1. The phrase Fellow Craft is reserved for any Entered Apprentice who has graduated from the Degree of Entered Apprentice and has formally accepted the Degree of Fellow Craft; in addition to the advantages afforded by the Degree of Entered Apprentice, a Fellow Craft shall receive further enhanced Lodge privileges, become eligible for appointment to the position of Lodge Officer, the franchise to participate in Conventions and the resources he or she requires to fulfill the obligations necessary to display such initiative as required to graduate from the Degree of Fellow Craft. Every Fellow Craft who graduates from this Degree of Fellow Craft shall be given the opportunity to accept or decline the Degree of Master Mason. Section 4. The Degree of Master Mason shall be subject to the following conditions: 2.4.1. The phrase Master Mason is reserved for any Fellow Craft who has graduated from the Degree of Fellow Craft and has formally accepted the Degree of Master Mason; in addition to the advantages afforded by the Degree of Entered Apprentice and the Degree of Fellow Craft, a Master Mason shall receive even further enhanced Lodge privileges and shall become eligible for appointment or election to the Lodge Council and shall become eligible for election to the position of Registrar. Section 5. The Resignation: 2.5.1. Every Freemason shall submit his or her resignation to, and gain acceptance from, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, prior to seeking alternative membership in an alliance or ending affiliation with the Grand Lodge of Freemasons. Section 6. The Dismissal, Disciplinary Action, Demotion and Appeal: 2.6.1. Any Freemason who willfully violates this Masonic Code may face dismissal, disciplinary action and/or demotion at the discretion of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons; such affected circumstances are limited within conscientious reason to dishonorable conduct, extended periods of absence without communication and/or the inability of a Freemason to adequately fulfill the obligations of his or her afforded Degree. 2.6.2. The term dismissal is a reference to the action of forcefully removing a Freemason from his or her affiliation with the Grand Lodge of Freemasons. 2.6.3. The phrase disciplinary action is a reference to economic penalization or sustained military action that has been authorized by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons against a Freemason. 2.6.4. The term demotion is a reference to a decision by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons to demote a Freemason from his or her current Degree and afford him or her with the lesser advantages of another Degree. 2.6.5. Any Freemason who experiences dismissal, disciplinary action and/or demotion may appeal any penalization decision to the Registrar and seek reinstatement and/or compensation. Article III. The Political Structure :It is noble in its administration: to think and let think, beyond the narrow contracted prejudices of bitter sectarians in these modern times. It is general or universal language, fitted to benefit the poor stranger, which no other institution is calculated to reach, by extending the beneficent hand. ::Lorenzo Dow, Freemason. Section 1. The Lodge Council: 3.1.1. The Lodge Council shall represent the Grand Lodge of Freemasons; the Grand Master shall hold executive authority and shall have the liberty to appoint the following notated positions which comprise the Lodge Council: the position of Grand Chancellor, the position of Grand Superintendent, the position of Grand Treasurer and the position of Grand Knight. 3.1.2. With the exception of this Masonic Code, the Grand Master shall have executive authority over all matters of domestic, economic, military and foreign affairs of significance that affect the Grand Lodge of Freemasons; he or she shall be popularly elected by a Convention and shall be responsible for graduation, ceremony, administration and appointment. The Grand Master shall convene a Convention only in the absence of a Registrar from a scheduled/expected Convention and a Convention which involves a Vote of No Confidence against a Registrar. All powers that have not been expressly provided for by this Masonic Code shall be subject to the authority of the Grand Master. 3.1.3. The Grand Chancellor shall administrate foreign policy. 3.1.4. The Grand Superintendent shall administrate domestic policy. 3.1.5. The Grand Treasurer shall administrate economic policy. 3.1.6. The Grand Knight shall administrate military policy. Section 2. The Lodge Officers: 3.2.1. Every Fellow Craft and Master Mason shall be eligible for appointment to the position of Lodge Officer; a role with which he or she shall assist the Lodge Council in specific capacities and administrative duties. 3.2.2. The Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall be obliged to provide any Freemason with the opportunity to contribute. 3.2.3. Lodge Officers shall remain subject to the authority of the Lodge Council. Section 3. The Registrar: 3.3.1. The Registrar shall objectively arbitrate and examine appeals against dismissal, disciplinary action and/or demotion that any Freemason experiences as a result of a decision made by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons. If and when requested, he or she shall appoint for a jury of enfranchised Freemasons to assemble. The jury shall provide witness to the appeal and subsequently deliver a simple-majority verdict that the Registrar shall deliver to which the Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall adhere. 3.3.2. With the exception of a Vote of No Confidence against him or herself, the Registrar shall convene every Convention and examine the validity of, and conduct the proceedings of, any Vote of No Confidence against a Freemason on the Lodge Council and/or a Lodge Officer. 3.3.3. The Registrar is prohibited from serving concurrently on the Lodge Council and/or as a Lodge Officer while fulfilling the obligations of the position of Registrar. 3.3.4. The Registrar shall be popularly elected by a Convention. Article IV. The Procedure :Its laws are reason and equity; its principles benevolence and love; and its religion purity and truth; its intention is peace on earth; and its disposition good-will toward men. ::Bro. Rev. T.M. Harris, Freemason. Section 1. The Convention: 4.1.1. The term Convention is a reference to any popular decision determined by the Fellow Craft and Master Masons; Conventions shall be held to determine the popular election of a Grand Master and/or a Registrar, to accept or deny a Vote of No Confidence against a member of a Lodge Council, a Lodge Officer, or a Registrar, to accept or deny a revision or amendment to this Masonic Code, to accept or deny a proposal to unilaterally disband the Grand Lodge of Freemasons and to accept or deny the validation of an official agreement with a foreign party. 4.1.2. Conventions to determine the popular election of a Grand Master and a Registrar shall be conducted quarterly and begin on the first day of every third month; in the advent of an expressed emergency need for a Freemason to be replaced, a new Convention shall be immediately convened. 4.1.3. Every Convention shall begin with a Nomination Period and/or a Discussion Period and a Polling Period, at the conclusion of which the leading decision shall be accepted. 4.1.4. In the advent of a non-decision, a Convention shall continue with a new Polling Period featuring the two previously leading options; at its conclusion, the leading decision shall be accepted. Section 2. The Vote of No Confidence: 4.2.1. The phrase Vote of No Confidence is a reference to the forced removal of a Freemason from his or her responsibilities by the popular decision of a Convention. 4.2.2. If a Freemason suspects that a member of a Lodge Council and/or a Lodge Officer is incapable of fulfilling his or her duties, a request may be submitted to a Registrar to approve or deny the initiation of a Vote of No Confidence; if a Freemason suspects that a Registrar is incapable of fulfilling his or her obligations, a request may be submitted to a Grand Master to approve or deny the initiation of a Vote of No Confidence. 4.2.3. If a request to initiate a Vote of No Confidence is successful, a Convention shall be held to determine a verdict; if passed, the accused shall be immediately removed from his or her responsibilities, if denied, the accused may retain his or her responsibilities. 4.2.4. If a Vote of No Confidence against a Grand Master is passed, a Registrar shall immediately convene a Convention to determine the popular election of a new Grand Master. 4.2.5. If a Vote of No Confidence against a Registrar is passed, a Grand Master shall immediately convene a Convention to determine the popular election of a new Registrar. Section 3. The Succession: 4.3.1. In the advent of an unexplained period of absence by a Grand Master which specifically lasts longer than seven days, a Registrar shall convene a Convention to determine the election of a new Grand Master. 4.3.2. In the advent of an unexplained period of absence by a Registrar which specifically lasts longer than seven days, a Grand Master shall convene a Convention to determine the election of a new Registrar. 4.3.3. In the advent of a concurrent and unexplained period of absence period of absence by a Grand Master and a Registrar which specifically lasts longer than seven days, any member of a Lodge Council may convene a Convention to determine the election of a new Grand Master and a new Registrar. 4.3.4. In the advent of a concurrent and unexplained period of absence by a Registrar and the entirety of a Lodge Council which specifically lasts longer than seven days, any Master Mason may convene a Convention to determine the election of a new Lodge Council and a new Registrar. 4.3.5. In the advent of a concurrent and unexplained period of absence by a Registrar, the entirety of a Lodge Council, and every Master Mason which specifically lasts longer than seven days, any Fellow Craft may convene a Convention to determine the election of a new Lodge Council and a new Registrar. Section 4. The Sovereignty: 4.4.1. It is the duty of every Freemason to pursue peaceful co-existence with other nations and foreign organizations; to this aim, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall be committed to non-interference in foreign affairs unless specific ulterior circumstances affect its security and force it to act otherwise in a defensive manner. 4.4.2. In specific reference to the game known as CyberNations, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall be prohibited from conducting acts of spying against a foreign adversary during times of peace, without consent from the Grand Lodge of Freemasons during times of war, from implementing the tactic of a first-strike nuclear weapons policy and from conducting warfare for the purpose of tech-raiding. 4.4.3. With regard to the initiation of the commencement of formal hostilities against a foreign adversary that may require a pronounced declaration of war, the Grand Master shall consult with the Lodge Council and obtain the expressed consent of two other Lodge Councilors prior to committing the Grand Lodge of Freemasons to such an action. Section 5. The Affiliation: 4.5.1. Every Freemason shall adjust the components of his or her nation affiliation to meet the expressed requirements of the Grand Lodge of Freemasons; such attributes include, but are not limited to, Alliance Affiliation, National Flag, Nation Bio, and/or Team Color. Section 6. The Disbandment: 4.6.1. The dissolution of the Grand Lodge of Freemason shall require the consent of a Grand Master, a Registrar, and an expressed two-third majority vote of a Convention. Article V. The Ratification Being persuaded that a just application of the principles, on which the Masonic Fraternity is founded, must be promote of private virtue and public prosperity, I shall always be happy to advance the interests of the Society, and to be considered by them as a deserving brother. -George Washington, Freemason. Section 1. The Caveat: 5.1.1. No individual in the Grand Lodge of Freemasons shall circumvent the authority of this Masonic Code. Section 2. The Implementation: 5.2.1. This Masonic Code shall only be ratified through an expressed two-third majority vote of a Convention. Section 3. The Amendment: 5.3.1. A Lodge Council may issue amendments to this Masonic Code through an expressed two-third majority vote of a Convention. http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a283/NaurisK/wax_seal.png Lodge Council and Lodge Officer Catalog ''Anthem'' On January 7th, 2008, the Lodge adopted the "Song of Welcome" as its official anthem: Brethren from the East and West. Who have stood in the Tyler's Test, You will find a welcome here, Bright, Fraternal, and Sincere. CHORUS: Warm Masonic hearts to meet you, Hands of fellowship to greet you, May our welcome here today Cheer each Brother on his way. We salute the man of worth. Whether high or low his birth, Whatsoever be his lot Rich or poor it matters not. CHORUS: Warm Masonic hearts to meet you, Hands of fellowship to greet you, May our welcome here today Cheer each Brother on his way. And when we have said adieu, May our love remain with you, And may we renew that love, In a Grander Lodge Above. CHORUS: Warm Masonic hearts to meet you, Hands of fellowship to greet you, May our welcome here today Cheer each Brother on his way. ''Origins'' The Grand Lodge of Freemasons was created out of a desire to enjoy an alliance without the endless cycles of betrayal, harassment, cliques and entitlement that permeate within many online gaming communities. In the Fall of 2007, CyberNations was at a crossroads; long-time rivals in the Legion and the New Pacific Order (NPO) bitterly clashed and the latter enlisted the aid of multiple alliances to squash the military of its opponent. Following this defeat, the Legion Cabinet opted to disband its alliance without the consent of its membership; thus creating the Legion Disbandment Crisis. In response, select Legionnaires ignored the announcement and approached the NPO for assistance; giving government authority over the Legion to an Imperial Viceroy. After the war, Pacifica had effectively opted to stabilize its ancient foe rather than annihilate it. Witnessing these events, a Legionnaire by the name of Genghis decided that he wanted change; immediately following the announcement of the disbandment, he created the original Lodge forum on November 11th, 2007. After operating under house-arrest during the occupation and attempting to reconcile disagreements with his compatriots, Genghis decided to delete his two year-old nation and start over. Following a month of forum development which culminated in the deletion of his nation, Genghis created New Tauron a day later and became the first to adopt the "Grand Lodge of Freemasons" as his alliance affiliation; subsequently, he began recruiting and publicly opened the alliance. The Foundation Genghis' recruitment appeals were quickly answered by individuals who had also faced similar unfortunate circumstances in their own communities; together, they created the First Council which governed the Lodge in the interim until a solid membership base could be relied upon to hold responsible Conventions. Suffice it to say, the earliest members had a large task before them; it was unheard of in CyberNations to create a community without the financial assistance and security provided by a protectorate agreement from a larger alliance. The Lodge, however, did not have this luxury and the majority of its initial members were experienced but actually had brand new or very young nations. To their fine credit, they began to establish the typical administrative processes that are required by every alliance but also sought to ensure that expansion would not endanger the principals of their small community; first, members such as ex Legion members Phil Collins, Lord Xnut, Lord Trenchard and new nations such as quatzecoatl and AlexG314 opted to help innocent victims who had been attacked by other nations to obtain peace and invited them into the Lodge afterward. Secondly, Genghis' interim charter was rewritten to give it a Freemason flavor and codify the alliance's principles. Combined, these two initiatives became the first two steps in determining the culmination of the Lodge into what it is today. Heeding the lessons learned from the political problems of their former alliances, the members of the First Council also agreed to direct foreign relations toward such alliances that had always remained faithful to their treaties and to which it could foster nothing but sincere and admirable friendship; this was the culminated case when diplomatic contact was made with the fine men and women of Nueva Vida (NV) and Knights of the Iron Cross (KIX). The Freemasons also decided to diplomatically conduct themselves under the authority of two important directives: (1.) The establishment of any foreign agreement had to be made with only the most proven and genuine friend, and (2.) Foreign agreements were only to be signed with regard to matters of economic and military significance. Thus began the tradition of excelled Masonic diplomacy and the refusal of the Lodge to formally sign any agreement which did not have meaningful consequence. As a micro-alliance though, the Lodge was very vulnerable to attack; most of these were conducted by aggressive individuals and groups of nations that are called "tech-raiders." As a result of their desire to easily acquire land and technology from the small Masonic nations, the raiders discovered that their hostilities effectively united the Lodge under the banner of the Order of the Red Cross; by lighting the Grand Hailing Sign of Distress, every Freemason was assured that his or her brothers and sisters would militarily and economically respond to his or her aid. Having decisively defeated many of these adversaries, the earliest Masons also opted to display mercy in spite of their victories; the concept of perma-zi (the act of effectively prohibiting a player from enjoy CyberNations by constantly declaring war on him/her even though he/she has no infrastructure) was felt to be dishonorable and reasonable reparations were expected instead. By showing respect to its adversaries, the Lodge quickly discovered that its opponents could easily be influenced to reciprocate it. As the attacks grew in magnitude, however, the First Council agreed to a joint military campaign with its equally vulnerable friends in KIX; after a brief but successful sojourn against a particularly stubborn group of tech-raiders, this agreement was null and voided after the Knights of the Iron Cross disbanded. Laying the First Bricks In the precarious position of being one of the few alliances ever to be born and grown completely independent, the Lodge opted to remove itself from the divisive world of CyberNation politics and conducted its internal and external affairs with its own self-interest; to be succise, the Freemasons treated everybody equally and were more concerned with the prosperity of their own community, along with that of their friend's, than the left-wing, right-wing, lulz or serious business sides of the Cyberverse. The first informal communication that the Lodge had with a sanctioned alliance had a tremendous impact on this aforementioned philosophy; after experiencing a rogue, the Freemasons noticed that the individual had opted to ghost (the act of pretending to be a member of an alliance by illegally using its alliance affiliation) the NPO. Although intimidated by their size and reoccurring propaganda, the First Council decided to set aside the normal fears of every micro-alliance and approached Pacifica to inform them. In response, a Pacifican diplomat named Exobyte (who later left to become a valuable Freemason and then decided to return to his roots in the NPO) showed up at the Foreign Chancellery in an unofficial capacity. The friendship that developed between the Lodge and this individual showed the Freemasons that sincerity trumps politics in every way; in accordance with its aforementioned foreign directives, the Masons opted to continue to uphold the philosophy that a true friend is a friend no matter which sphere, political philosophy, tradition or political spectrum of the Cyberverse he or she subscribes to. As a community, the Lodge also benefited greatly from its friendship with raasaa, the NV Head of State, and the entirety of Nueva Vida. With their assistance, the Freemasons were able to procure a tremendous reputation for reliable technology sales and distribution; thus enhancing the economy, security and infrastructure of the entire alliance and attracting new members. From the noble roots of establishing an alliance that could withstand corruption, foster genuine friendship, adhere to its principles and sow mutual-respect with other communities, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons was born successfully independent as a defensively-oriented alliance with individuals of the highest integrity; they had a hand-shake and everything. Installing the Pillars As a result of their hard work, the Freemasons were able to formally announce their existence on January 20th, 2008 with the edict of their First Grand Installation. Subsequently, with the spike in recruitment that resulted from this announcement and through the hard-work of people such as Phil_Collins, AlexG314, Alaric, Quatzalcoatl, ZayneHumphrey, Arod Johns, Blamage, Lord_Xnut, and various others, the Lodge became strong enough and respected enough to enter into a formal agreement with its close friends in Nueva Vida; coined The Assistance, Zeal, Trade, Economic & Combat Treaty (AZTEC), it was ratified on March 2nd and was eventually expanded to include the Patriotic Union of Kalashnikov Enthusiasts (PUKE). With its independent mindset at heart, the members of AZTEC each concurred that the bloc would comprise only the most sincere friends who would cooperate militarily and economically to ensure collective security and prosperity. Shortly following this achievement, the Freemasons surpassed the difficult milestone of acquiring five-hundred thousand nation strength and announced it to the Cyberverse on April 7th through the Second Grand Installation. After consolidating the activity of its membership and recognizing the need for a concept of Degrees, the Lodge surpassed one million nation strength on July 9th before issuing the Third Grand Installation and shifting its focus toward domestic affairs. Patching the Cement Culminating in the latest and possibly final Masonic Code revision on January 12th, 2009, Freemasons collectively illustrated their opinions and concerns that enabled to repen the charter again; the following is a concise background to the various philosophies that influenced the document. Throughout the first year of its history, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons was faced with an intricate and complex charter issue that transfixed the attention of many contributing and devoted members; how best could a political apparatus be organized to preserve the founding principles yet encourage the libertarian participation of new contributors? As a result, numerous Conventions were held to determine what direction to take to address this issue. Over time, subsequent revisions to the Masonic Code tested various hypotheses involving authoritarian and representative methods of governance; an evolution of sorts toward the grand charter that the Lodge operates with today. It was accepted that the preservation of the founding principles would best be served by emphasizing the senior role of contributing members in directing the policy of Lodge affairs; new members, of course, would be afforded every universal opportunity to show their ability to contribute and receive appointments to positions of subsequent greater responsibility. In this manner, three branches of administration were manifested into existence in the Grand Lodge of Freemasons; the Lodge Council, the Lodge Offices and the Registrar. The Lodge Council became the executive director of policy in the Lodge and was continually comprised of senior members who were primarily elected or appointed from amongst the ranks of the greatest contributing Fellow Craft and Master Masons. Coincidentally, this pattern was eventually codified and adopted into the articulate letter of later Masonic Code revisions. The Lodge Offices were emblematic of the need to provide every Freemason with the opportunity to contribute if he or she decided to do so; they were often coincidentally appointed by the Lodge Council from deserving members of the Fellow Craft and supported the various administrative duties of the Lodge. The significance of this enterprise was that it afforded every Freemason who became a Lodge Officer with the prerequisite experience that was needed to become a member of the Lodge Council. The position of Registrar was often the principle point of debate and discussion within the Lodge as it represented the judicial aspect of its political apparatus; in various incarnations, it was generally accepted that the Registrar shall remain elected from amongst contributing members and remain separate from the executive government and its plethora of administrative stems. To this aim, the franchise (the right to vote) was eventually limited to members who had obtained the Degree of Fellow Craft; not content to promote the non-exercise of such an important and effective right, the franchise to participate in Conventions was subsequently limited to only contributing members as represented by anyone who showed initiative to earn the Degree of Fellow Craft and/or the Degree of Master Mason. The meritocratic and democratic representation of the membership remained effectively preserved through the ability of any enfranchised Freemason to exercise a Vote of No Confidence in a member of the Lodge Council, a Lodge Officer and/or a Registrar and the ability for any Freemason to make an appeal against any disciplinary decision by the government to the Registrar. In this manner, a meritocratic democracy was developed that encouraged initiative and promoted equal representation; the Grand Lodge of Freemasons has always remained fortunate that its political apparatus, in its various incarnations through the multitude of required revisions to the Masonic Code, has resolutely withstood the in-fighting and corruption that often takes hold in other alliances as a result of irresponsibly permitting questionable rights to the franchise. The evolution of the Masonic Code from its conception as an interim document to its present is located in the Scottish Rite Library along with the debates and discussions which have been adequately preserved. The War of Principle Popularly known as the BLEU-Continuum Conflict or the [urlhttp://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/War_of_the_Coalition/url War of the First Coalition], the War of Principle became the first open engagement in which the Grand Lodge of Freemasons participated when various alliances declared the initiation of formal hostilities against its ally for various reasons on August 11th, 2008; the [urlhttp://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/New_Polar_Order/url New Polar Order (NpO)]. Citing [urlhttp://www.square-n-compass.net/forum/showthread.php?t=926/url The Penguin Lodge Treaty] and Article V of [urlhttp://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/The_AZTEC_Treaty/url AZTEC], the Grand Lodge of Freemasons justifiably entered the conflict as a direct result of the open hostilities that had been initiated against its friends in Nueva Vida (a member of BLEU at the time) and the New Polar Order. In spite of insurmountable odds and the expected material destruction that the catalyst of this endeavor promised, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons sought to enter this conflict on the basis of friendship rather than risk sacrificing its honor or the spirit with which those documents were signed. Issuing the [urlhttp://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=31235&hl=/url fourth Grand Installation] on August 13th, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons served a formal declaration of war against its opponents in [urlhttp://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/The_Order_Of_Righteous_Nations/url TORN] and [urlhttp://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/Poison_Clan/url Poison Clan] who had rallied to the cause of the coalition. Much criticism and many accolades were afforded to the Lodge as a result of its decision; chiefly amongst its opponents, the argument that the commencement of hostilities against TORN, an Orange sphere alliance, by the Grand Lodge of Freemasons, another predominantly Orange sphere alliance, tremendously upset the tradition by which the initiation of a conflict by an Orange sphere alliance against another Orange sphere alliance was popularly unacceptable because it was rare. To offset such criticism, the Freemasons countered that never in its entire history had the Lodge considered itself to be an official Orange sphere alliance in spite of efforts to possibly make an official move there if community circumstances provided for such an endeavor. [urlhttp://www.square-n-compass.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1682/url The Great Color Debate] in the Scottish Rite Library more than successfully illustrates the history of Lodge spherical affiliation; at its outset, the Freemasons were initially a Blue alliance but predominately participated in Orange due to its stability. Although the Grand Lodge of Freemasons had made numerous attempts to become involved in the Orange community, including the dispatch of many diplomats to the [urlhttp://cybernations.wikia.com/wiki/The_Orange_Unity_Treaty/url OUT], such endeavors had remained fruitless as contact became fairly limited and unintentional rebukes of these diplomatic efforts had led to a predominant feeling of being excluded by Orange alliances. Coincidentally, the Lodge had become very close to its friends on the Blue sphere; specifically benefiting from its enhanced relations with Nueva Vida, the New Polar Order and BLEU. As such, a sharp response by OUT alliances was to be expected due to the Lodge being predominantly Orange but retaining closer and more successful ties with Orange opponents on Blue; the mutual failure of Orange-Lodge relations had a serious impact on the Freemason community. Both TORN and Poison Clan near single-handily defeated the Lodge with the assistance of many alliances; facing expected 11-1 odds and suffering seventy-seven of its ninety nations in anarchy or nuclear devastation, the Grand Lodge of Freemasons reached more than lenient peace terms after having been threatened with Orange Prohibition and issued its [urlhttp://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=32113/url fifth Grand Installation]; formally surrendering on August 19th and canceling or suspending every foreign agreement. As a result of the War of Principle, OUT announced that it would deliberately show the Lodge the tremendous unity and benefit of Orange after many of its members noted the tremendous respect, maturity and professionalism that Freemasons had exhibited on the battlefield. Quickly fulfilling the articles of its surrender terms during which it was actively involved and accepted into the Orange community, the Lodge was successfully released from its [urlhttp://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=35510/url terms] on September 26th. Proud of the courage and resilience that they had shown by defending their friends and entering an unwinnable conflict; the War of Principle is seen as a success as it brought the Lodge officially closer to Orange through the fulfillment of its surrender terms, defense of its principles, coincidental communication between Freemasons and Orange nations and the generous protection that its former adversaries in TORN gave to the Grand Lodge of Freemasons during the month-long period of reconstruction. Coming Soon; the first anniversary and a more fitting revision for the section regarding OUT Category:Alliances Category:Orange team alliances